Teat cup for milking machines



July 1,' 1930. R. E. MAEs I TEAT CUP FOR MILKING MACHINES Filed July 2, 1927 aqa.

asse-a Jul 1,; 1930 i coMrAivY, A coRroRA'rIo'n ornnwrrinisnirj; v 1

' renew ron amme'm s [ap lication-flied July 2,:1927.Seriai'N o, aeaossl invention relates: to ma- 1 chines and particularly to, a teat cup con 7 to provlde such ;ateat cup, including anovel-j a being dependent -for such action uponthe milk flow "from the te'at,f. atmospheric pressure, and a novel spring valve structure, all harmful over milking cannot takeplace suction or vacuum type.

puls'atingmechanism in its body for! governing the vacuum, such pulsator generally relatively balanced, whereby A, further; object is-to' provjide a teat cup pulsator structure embodying a minimum 1; number of simple parts,-, so that itsmanufacture will not be costly,}and, inuse, maybe e qcontinuesa Verybriefiy easily kept clean.

"Other objects "will present themselves to g in this 1 art as the disclosure those skilled stated, thesedesirable objects are accomplished in "a teatcup structure em- I bodying an upper teat chamber and a lower milk chamber, the two chambers being com- :munioable by means of an apertured "rigid;

' bottom separator piece between the two portions orrchambers. Underneathlthissepara- J tor piece isarranged a: flexible diaphragm r'valve' embodying a novel spring "pressure means; for normally urging the diaphragm upwardly to closethe aperture in the separa tor piece to destroy communication between the upper and lower chambers. The teat chamber is in constai'itcommuni'cfation with. atmospheric pressure by 'meansoi a pin-holej inits wall, and the lower, or milk chamber,

' is connected with a source of vacuum? startingthe vacuum, the balanced forces Valready I generally mentioned act to milk the;

cowby aproper pulsating. action;

In the accompanying, sheet=of drawingsg apiece of rubberv molded about a thin flat,

illustrating oneembodiment which the in vention may assume 1I1p12lCtlC,--

} it isunnecessary to this dis'cplosurey. 1 J

Figure 2 is a plan detail view of thenovel diaphragm valve; e r 1 It is the pri ar y object of this invention A Figure 3; is a- ;.central; sectional-,vie'w V 7 ,through thej;diaphragm valve, as seen along 7 rstruction :for' use insuch 1112101111168 of the the line 3--'3 of.,Figure,2;.and,

v Figure 4eis a plan detail view of thespriirg iper seiwhich, actuates the diaphragm; i

- The} teat cup provided-with the improved 1 ported in any approved-manner, a rubber liner. 11 for; receiving ai teat in the usual.

way; Formed with theilowerend.ofrlthe shaped. member 13' having a [centrally and;

1 downwardly extending; nipple 1% "adapted 'for; connection to-any "suitable,-source of "vacuum, not shown, is provided with an in- ;,ternal threadedlportioniatits 'top' to jbe locked onto. the threaded ferrule 12,;{01' se- ,.lcuring said chamber or 'cup member 13 to: the body- 10.. 'The. insiderof the cup "mem- -ber=;13 is 'provided'with a, flat, peripheral ledge 15 upon which looselyrests a separaa torpiece'lfi, which -when the entire cupiis v assembled, -'is locked between said ledge 15, and the ferrule 12,; as shown. The-piece 16 is rigid and has arranged centrallytherein,

a milk outlet aperture 17, said piece. 16 having on itsunder side, depending circular.

raised edge or wall 18 surrounding theaperture 1-7. Thus, that-portion of the teat cup above :the separator piece 16 constitutes the teat chamber, whilethat portion below the separator piece constitutes "the milk ch'amher. The-teat chamber is in'constant com- 'fpulsator structure: comprises an elongatechj hollow or, tubular body 10 "in; which is supis p munication with. the atmosphere by, means of apin hole '19. :in its wall, as shown." i i Anovelflexible diaphragm valve=mem-" AberQO isarranged in the milk chamberg said "92 loosely on the'iedge 15; Preferably, "the diaphragm having its peripheral edgelying diaphragm is made offa relatively thick shown, said fiat spring insert having: there .in, afcentral opening 22' through which the ,rubber will flow-to form alockin'g pin23 yfo'rnsecuring the spring inthe exact center of the diaphragm," Milk flow apertures 24:

.' are arranged in the diaphragmbetween the I legs of the spring 21, asshown The rela- "tive' positions of ledge 15 and wallr18, re

spectively engaging theflmargin and. center of the resilient diaphragm 20 on its opposite sides, are preferably such as to slightly depress thecenter of the diaphram when the parts area-ssembled, as shown in Figure 1,

i so that the tension created normally exerts a force holding the diaphragm 20 snugly against the edge" 18, thereby closing off the milk outlet 17 from communication'with the lower or milk chamber, as will be obvious. .lYhenthe diaphragm flexes, of course, relativemovement must be permitted between the rubber part and the metalsprmg insert. To permit such movement, the flat spring Nmay beloose in the diaphragm, except for the centering rubber pin part- 23. r i

Themode of. operation of the presentim- 11 will" embrace "and engage the teat I in the exhaust the air instantaneously fromthe.

usual way. Ahose, not shown, is connected to the nipple'14 and to a source of vacuum, such as amilk can under vacuum, as is customary n this art. The suction will lower chamber, or milk chamber, as it has been called, and, in view of the fact'that theupperchamber above the separator 16' -is exposed to the. atmosphere by means of the pin hole 19, obviously such atmospheric pressure will immediately: be operative through the milkoutlet '17 to push down on the top of. the diaphragm 20 to flex it 'downwardly against the force of the flat spring insert 21, thereby permitting the vacuum extends upwardly through the holes Qet'pastthe edge 18 and up through .now be appreciated, 1s "ery simpleand, as it is constructed ofrelatively few parts, it

v mediately operative to'eXertv its force to through the pin hole 19 and the displacing vacuum from the lower or milk chambertospread rapidly into the upper chamber by way of the holes 24 and aperture 17. The

the' outlet 17, as can be seen. The suction thus created causes the liner to expand and,

as a result, milk flows from the' cows'teat. This milk passes. downwardly'through the milk outlet 17 and onto the diaphragm where-it spreads radiall outwardly to pass downwardly through tie holes-'24; in the diaphragm. The suction line exhausts the milk from. the lower chamber. outthe nip- I -washing.

ple 14. Y 7 y HWith the upper chamber thus'under vacuum,. -the diaphragm 20 is in equilibrium with a vacuum thereabove and therebelow, so that'the resilient diaphragm 20 is in seat upwardly against theedge 18 to close the outlet 17," The vacuum. in the lower chamber of coursev continues, while the vacuumin the upper chamber is gradually. de-' creased by the-inflow of the atmosphere action of the milk flow from the teat until places and scope ofthe invention, as

theequilibrium of the diaphragm valve 20 has been completely destroyed, whereupon the action of milk and atmosphere from the-top causev the diaphragm slightly to flex down again allowing the milk and air in a decreasing qvacuumIto spread over the diaphragm faster than. it can-be drained away through the holes 24. The diaphragm is thereupon forced down quickly. Due to the flow of' milk and air through the holes 2 1 isnot sufficient to bring the diaphragm ineqUilibriUm again, the milk will flow from the teat uninterrupted. If the milk flows pulsations occuri'ntermittently at the rate of substantially 6O-t0 120per minute while milk: flows slowly, or "not at all from the teat, but when the flow of milk increases and the :cow gives it down freely, these pulsations become less ma'rkedand the diaphragm valve :20, instead of snappingup and down,

merely flutters-slightly. I c The usual cluster-of four teat cupsmay be left on the cowsjudder',until.all teats are milked. It is.;a well-known fact that-1 all teats of the same udder do not-give milk .equallyat thesame rate or atthe same time.

\Vith the use of the present teat cup, no harm will be done if the teats do not milk alike, as each cup operates entirelyindea pendently of the others and automatically has its 'gpulsations controlled. b'yvithe milkflow. Itcan thus be seen thatwith the present teat; cup, the cow will be thoroughly and rapidly milkedwithout causing her any in-lr juryyas harmful overmilking cannot take The, teat] this invention, it must can be easily and cheaply manufactured.

.Additionally, in use, it can be kept clean apart for this purpose by unscrewing the part 10 from thepart 13. This leaves the separator 16and diaphragm 20 free for easy I There are no metallicvalves or exposed metallic valve operating means to be corroded by the milk and no.in tricately shaped'parts are present in which particles of dirtcan lodge. i

Of course, only an illustrative. embodiment of this nvention has been shown and dc scribed,and accordingly it should be under stood that the sameis capable of variation in structure. without departingafrom the spirit is indicated in the appended] claims; Vvhat is claimed is:

1. In a milking machine teat cup, the combination of a body having'anopening to the atmosphere, a chamber-secured to the body andiin communication therewith, a

suction connection to the chamber, and a self-restoring diaphragm. valve for governmg communloatlon between the body and chamber. v

, In a milking machine :teat cup, the

combination of a body having an opening to theatmosphere, a, chambeit secured to the body and n communication therewith, a

' suction connection,tdthebhamber, and a unitary non-metallic diaphragmfvalve and l metallic spring operating means ,for governing communication between the bodyand chamber. w I V 3. In a milking, machine teat cup, the

' combination of a body having an opening to the atmosphere, achamber secured to the body and in communication therewith, a-

. suction connection'to the chamber,'a rubber diaphragm valve between .the may, and chamber having a metallic spring insertv for causing the diaphragm to govern comm'un lCtlllOIl between the body and chamber.

4:. In a milking machine teat cup, the

"combination of a bodyh'aving anopening to the atmosphere, a chamber .secured'jto the body, said chamber including asuction connection, a separator having an open ng therein, said separator having'arranged beagainst said edge to close the separator body and chamber, a diaphragm valvelying tween the body and chamber, a diaphragm in the chamber, and means included in the diaphragm for urging it to close the open-f connection, a separator having an. openingtherein, said separator being arranged be tween the body and chamber, an edge en clrcling the separator open ng onlts under side, and a diaphragm in the chamber including means for pushing the "diaphragmopening, said diaphragm'having a milk outlet arranged outside the said separator'edge. V 6. In a milking machine teat cup, the combination of a body having an opening to the atmosphere,-a chamber secured to the body, said chamber having a ledge therein,

spring.

body, said chamber having a ledge therein, a suction connection leading from the chamsai separator being arranged'between the body and chamber and having an annular edge on. its under; side surrounding the; opening, a diaphragm lying looselyon the bergi alseparator provided withanopening,

ledge, [means for urging the diaphragm f against said annular edge to interrupt com- 1 munication between the body and charnber', ,1 andmilk passages in thediaphragm. H 8. In a milkingmachineteat cup, the.

mbination of a body including a threaded.

portion at its'lower end,a' chamber-includ-j.

ing an internal ledge, said chamber being threadedly secured to the threaded body portionand having a suction connection,-a separator clamped between the body and chambenjsald separator having a milk outlet for the body, and a. diaphragm valveu lying on. said ledge in the chamber includmg means. for pressing the close the separator outlet." 1

diaphragm to i i 9. In a milking machine teat cup, the I combination of a body, a' chamber detachablysecuredto said body, said chamber "havi'ng a suction connection. and an internal ledge,-a separator lhavingfan opening, the

separator being arranged betwe'en the body and chamber'and .havingonl itsunder side a contacting the raised edge,

raised edge surrounding said opening, and a -d1aphragm valve on said ledge and normally 10. A diaphragm for the purpose de- 'scribed'comprising a rubber disk having embedded, therein a flat substantially starthe diaphragm between the points of the '11. A diaphragm for the purpose described comprising a rubber disk having loosely embedded thereina flat 'substantially star-shaped metallic spring, there being 7 a hole in the center) of the spring for receiving arubber pin to lock the spring against displacement, and milk passages in the dia- 'phragm between the points of the spring.

In testimony whereof I aifix my si nature. ROBT. E. AES.

a suction connection leading fromxthe chamher, a separatorprovided with an opening,

said separatorbeing arranged between'the on said ledge in the chamber, and means for urging the diaphragm to close the separator opening to interrupt communication be- 1 tween the body and chamber.

7. In a milkin", machine teat cup, the

combination of a body having an opening to the atmosphere, a chamber secured to the shaped metallic spring,,and milk passages in p CERTIFICATE or GORREGTIUN.

Patent No. 1,769,032. Granted July 1, 1930, to

ROBERT E. MAES.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 32-, claim 4, for the word "having" read being; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 9th day of December, A. D. 1934).

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner oi Patents. 

